"Goof" word origin

[Martinus]

In ordinary English "goof" can mean a silly or goofy person - but in prison slang it means a pedophile or a rapist inmate, the lowest of the low. I was wondering what the origin of the latter is.

One, rather unusual origin I thought of was that in Hebrew / Judaism, "guph" (pronounced "goof") means the physical, soulless part of human body, essentially a "meat bag". Could it be the origin?

[Josquius]

The incident with goofy at Disneyland

[Eddie Teach]

This thread will trigger BB.

[Grinning_Colossus]

Here's what wiktionary has to say:

Perhaps from dialectal English goff ‎("foolish clown"), from earlier goffe, further etymology uncertain.

Perhaps from Middle English goffen ‎("to speak in a frivolous manner"), possibly from Old English gaf, ġegaf ‎("base; wanton; lewd", adj), Old English ġegaf ‎("buffoonery; scurrility", noun), gaffetung, golfettung ‎("buffoonery; mockery"). Compare English dialectal gauffin ‎("lightheaded; foolish; giddy"), Scots gaff, gawf ‎("to talk loudly; babble"), Scots gaffaw ‎("a loud laugh").

Alternatively, perhaps from Middle French goffe ‎("awkward; stupid"). Compare also Spanish gofo, Italian goffo, Ancient Greek γόμφος ‎(gómphos).

[CountDeMoney]

In ordinary English "goof" can mean a silly or goofy person - but in prison slang it means a pedophile or a rapist inmate, the lowest of the low.

Which prison?

[Barrister]

I thought we established that "goof" being prison slang was a Canadian thing?

[Gups]

Never heard it used in that context. In British prisons, paedo convicts are nonces. Or they used to be anyway.

[Barrister]

I became aware of this use of goof back when Mrs b was working in a prison.  It really is a thing - you call someone a goof you're just begging for a fight.

I brought it up on Languish years ago and it seemed like it was only a term in Canadian jails.

[CountDeMoney]

Never heard it used in that context. In British prisons, paedo convicts are nonces. Or they used to be anyway.

In US prisons, I believe convicted pedophiles are referred to as "pedophiles."  Maybe the catchy colloquialism, "kiddie fuckers."



Marti must be looking for a new alt-right insult meme to use.  "kind and sensitive person" is soooo May 2016, you know.

[Gups]

Never heard it used in that context. In British prisons, paedo convicts are nonces. Or they used to be anyway.

In US prisons, I believe convicted pedophiles are referred to as "pedophiles."  Maybe the catchy colloquialism, "kiddie fuckers."

You send foot fetishists to prison? Bit harsh but I suppose it keeps Marty out of the country. So there's that.

[CountDeMoney]

You send foot fetishists to prison? Bit harsh but I suppose it keeps Marty out of the country. So there's that.

Oh, that's right, I forgot: you're a commonweal. Paedoephaeles.  Faeoteuoesuses. 

Thanks!

[dps]

I became aware of this use of goof back when Mrs b was working in a prison.  It really is a thing - you call someone a goof you're just begging for a fight.

I brought it up on Languish years ago and it seemed like it was only a term in Canadian jails.

I don't remember that being discussed.  At any rate, I wouldn't know;  I've never been in prison in Canada.  Or the US, for that matter.

[Jacob]

I remember it being discussed, in part because it's something I already knew - having witnessed a handful of over the top bar fights being fought over the usage.

That said, I'm not surprised no one else remembers because outside of people hanging out with Western Canadian less than law abiding citizens, who cares?

[Josquius]

I became aware of this use of goof back when Mrs b was working in a prison.  It really is a thing - you call someone a goof you're just begging for a fight.

I brought it up on Languish years ago and it seemed like it was only a term in Canadian jails.

Oh Canada.
In America it's "you god damn mother f'ing n@$#a ass homo bitch"
In Canada it's "silly goose. You're such a goof"

[grumbler]

I became aware of this use of goof back when Mrs b was working in a prison.  It really is a thing - you call someone a goof you're just begging for a fight.

I brought it up on Languish years ago and it seemed like it was only a term in Canadian jails.

Oh Canada.
In America it's "you god damn mother f'ing n@$#a ass homo bitch"
In Canada it's "silly goose. You're such a goof"

Thanks for the first-person perspective on the issue.